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Night Lords #1
Ловець Душ
Зраджені та відлучені від Світла Імператора, гнані єретики, вони – повстанці 41 тисячоліття. Безжальні мисливці та вбивці, вбрані у символи смерті Повелителі Ночі. Ніколи не розкаються вони у блюзнірстві, що обернуло їх на вигнанців. Вони полюють на присмертний Імперіум, несучи смерть із глибин поміжсвіття.
І жах – наймогутніша їхня зброя.
«Епічного масштабу темна та кривава історія про безмежні лиходійства. «Ловець Душ» нагадує, чому ми боїмося пітьми». – Ґрем Мак-Нілл
«Аарон Дембські-Боуден – єретично хороший автор». – Ден Абнетт
І жах – наймогутніша їхня зброя.
«Епічного масштабу темна та кривава історія про безмежні лиходійства. «Ловець Душ» нагадує, чому ми боїмося пітьми». – Ґрем Мак-Нілл
«Аарон Дембські-Боуден – єретично хороший автор». – Ден Абнетт
456 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
April 1, 2020
Highly entertaining foray into the 40K universe! I enjoy these books because of the great tech, the military strategy, the great battles and the action that fills the story, and this book did not disappoint. In terms of the 40k books I’ve read before, this one is at the top in terms of storyline and feeling. Not a great in-depth character study going on here, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying several of the character’s perspectives and getting behind them. Definitely going to start on book 2 shortly!
December 8, 2019
Phenomenal!
Sometimes in certain movies, for me at least, things come together almost to perfection. The final confrontation between Deckard and Roy Batty at the end of Blade Runner, with the rain and the lighting and the sweeping camera angles; the first thirty minutes of Saving Private Ryan, when the camera closes in on Tom Hank's face with bombs going off and dudes picking pieces of themselves up off the beach; the scene from the original Starship Troopers when the drop ships have to release themselves early because of the surprise attack from the bugs and the music is blaring and everyone is freaking out and the captain keeps yelling, "remember your training!" These scenes stand out to me and are among my favorites.
This is a book made up of nothing but scenes like that. Quotable lines, amazingly vivid and intense action, and breathtaking intensity are on full display. Aaron Dembski-Bowden is an amazing writer. His ability to maintain tension along with writing some of the most frenetic but easy to follow action pieces is beyond admirable. It is enviable.
I'm on a massive Warhammer 40K kick right now and while I love the Eisenhorn trilogy because it was my introduction to this universe, this is the best Warhammer book I've read so far. I may even be able to say it is one of the best books I have ever read, period! Everything in here is in my wheelhouse. There is no fluff in these pages, no fodder, no filler. Just straight action, drama, intrigue, and mystery, interspersed with cheer out loud moments and some bad-ass dialogue that was never cheesy or forced.
If you have ever contemplated reading a book set in this universe, you can't find a better place to start. Five, no doubt about 'em, stars!
Sometimes in certain movies, for me at least, things come together almost to perfection. The final confrontation between Deckard and Roy Batty at the end of Blade Runner, with the rain and the lighting and the sweeping camera angles; the first thirty minutes of Saving Private Ryan, when the camera closes in on Tom Hank's face with bombs going off and dudes picking pieces of themselves up off the beach; the scene from the original Starship Troopers when the drop ships have to release themselves early because of the surprise attack from the bugs and the music is blaring and everyone is freaking out and the captain keeps yelling, "remember your training!" These scenes stand out to me and are among my favorites.
This is a book made up of nothing but scenes like that. Quotable lines, amazingly vivid and intense action, and breathtaking intensity are on full display. Aaron Dembski-Bowden is an amazing writer. His ability to maintain tension along with writing some of the most frenetic but easy to follow action pieces is beyond admirable. It is enviable.
I'm on a massive Warhammer 40K kick right now and while I love the Eisenhorn trilogy because it was my introduction to this universe, this is the best Warhammer book I've read so far. I may even be able to say it is one of the best books I have ever read, period! Everything in here is in my wheelhouse. There is no fluff in these pages, no fodder, no filler. Just straight action, drama, intrigue, and mystery, interspersed with cheer out loud moments and some bad-ass dialogue that was never cheesy or forced.
If you have ever contemplated reading a book set in this universe, you can't find a better place to start. Five, no doubt about 'em, stars!
April 9, 2010
Details:
Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Black Library Publishing
411 Pages
*This is an advance copy review.
Review:
I generally don’t care for Chaos Space Marine novels. I think it’s because I have a difficult time seeing how I’ll be able to relate to the characters. How can I root for the bad guys? Dark Creed proved me wrong on that, and since Soul Hunter came in my monthly care package from BL, I was willing to give it a shot. This is the first Aaron Dembski-Bowden book for me as well, so I was anxious to get a taste of what he brings to the table. I wasn’t let down.
Let me say that the author does an excellent job in sucking you in to the whole vibe of, well…darkness. The Night Lords are like the Batman Chapter of Traitor Marines. Darkness and fear. That’s their shtick. They really have it down pat. From the very prologue I was hooked.
The author has a real wit to his dialogue. He wraps the characters in interesting quips that are entirely defining. I could go on and on about each character, but seriously, each one definitely has a specific “voice” which is awesome; very akin to Dan Abnett in that respect. The author is also quite a tease. We don’t even know the protagonist’s name for 43 pages.
The story is good. The plot is a bit slow: I think I spent the whole novel half-holding my breath. It is very cool to see some real meat on the Night Lords and get an insight in to how the former great legions (well…all the traitor legions) have decayed. The portrayal of the relationship with the Black Legion and the Warmaster is revealing.
It appears that “Chaos Space Marine” is a very broad term. Even “Traitor Marine” is a huge generalization. These guys are all unique, which makes for an interesting story. I’m very impressed that the author does a good job at making the reader feel so…betrayed. It makes it possible for the reader to sympathize, and it really worked.
There is definitely the feeling that this book is just a prelude to something much bigger. I am assuming that this is the beginning of a series (at this point I have only this novel to go by) Still…the story plays out nicely.
It has what I consider the appropriate amount of “Grim Dark Future” of the 41st millennium. I can’t say that of a lot of Warhammer 40k fiction. Even the top dogs of the Black Library bullpen often can’t really get that perfect balance. I mean, I believe the purpose of the grim, dark future-type stories is that in the midst of a really shitty universe, where mankind is either on the edge of extinction, or under the lash of one tyrannical regime or another, it is possible to see glimmers of hope, or in this case…at least revenge. Man is powerless, small, one among untold billions…meaningless. Even demigods die an ignoble death. Yet there is something cool about one person, astartes, slave, and navigator doing something unique.
That’s what it’s all about.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden captures this.
Actually, the author would be in my mind a kind of hybrid of writing styles: Like the dark love-child of Graham McNeill and Dan Abnett. Abnett I think writes great action and characterizations, dialog. McNeill can pull off more “thinker” novels and also is strong in characterization etc. Kind of a perfect storm in writing styles really.
My only complaints are as follows:
1. A bit of slowness. Not bad. I just think some folks may notice it. I dig it, but I’m not your typical reader. It’s got a lot of action, don’t get me wrong…it just has some very contemplative bits that not everyone will fully appreciate.
2. It feels like a prelude. Not really a complaint. When I got the book I started reading it with no foreknowledge. Is it a prequel? It may be. I don’t judge books by the series; I judge the book by the book. By the end you feel like “it’s about to go off.” Maybe it’s the finally finding out that it’s a series at the end instead of at the beginning. Anyhow, totally minor quibble that really means nothing.
3. The writer is clever; maybe too clever for me. I think there were parts where something happened that I simply missed it. Like an inside joke where you’re not in the know. Still, it didn’t really detract from the story. I’m just not as versed on the Night Lords. I think that someone who is not versed in 40k lore may miss out on some of the fun.
Rating:
That’s it. Seriously, those are some minor quibbles. For my first Aaron Dembski-Bowden novel, I was pleased with the story, the vibe, and the overall entertainment value. Totally good read.
4 of 5 Stars.
Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Black Library Publishing
411 Pages
*This is an advance copy review.
Review:
I generally don’t care for Chaos Space Marine novels. I think it’s because I have a difficult time seeing how I’ll be able to relate to the characters. How can I root for the bad guys? Dark Creed proved me wrong on that, and since Soul Hunter came in my monthly care package from BL, I was willing to give it a shot. This is the first Aaron Dembski-Bowden book for me as well, so I was anxious to get a taste of what he brings to the table. I wasn’t let down.
Let me say that the author does an excellent job in sucking you in to the whole vibe of, well…darkness. The Night Lords are like the Batman Chapter of Traitor Marines. Darkness and fear. That’s their shtick. They really have it down pat. From the very prologue I was hooked.
The author has a real wit to his dialogue. He wraps the characters in interesting quips that are entirely defining. I could go on and on about each character, but seriously, each one definitely has a specific “voice” which is awesome; very akin to Dan Abnett in that respect. The author is also quite a tease. We don’t even know the protagonist’s name for 43 pages.
The story is good. The plot is a bit slow: I think I spent the whole novel half-holding my breath. It is very cool to see some real meat on the Night Lords and get an insight in to how the former great legions (well…all the traitor legions) have decayed. The portrayal of the relationship with the Black Legion and the Warmaster is revealing.
It appears that “Chaos Space Marine” is a very broad term. Even “Traitor Marine” is a huge generalization. These guys are all unique, which makes for an interesting story. I’m very impressed that the author does a good job at making the reader feel so…betrayed. It makes it possible for the reader to sympathize, and it really worked.
There is definitely the feeling that this book is just a prelude to something much bigger. I am assuming that this is the beginning of a series (at this point I have only this novel to go by) Still…the story plays out nicely.
It has what I consider the appropriate amount of “Grim Dark Future” of the 41st millennium. I can’t say that of a lot of Warhammer 40k fiction. Even the top dogs of the Black Library bullpen often can’t really get that perfect balance. I mean, I believe the purpose of the grim, dark future-type stories is that in the midst of a really shitty universe, where mankind is either on the edge of extinction, or under the lash of one tyrannical regime or another, it is possible to see glimmers of hope, or in this case…at least revenge. Man is powerless, small, one among untold billions…meaningless. Even demigods die an ignoble death. Yet there is something cool about one person, astartes, slave, and navigator doing something unique.
That’s what it’s all about.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden captures this.
Actually, the author would be in my mind a kind of hybrid of writing styles: Like the dark love-child of Graham McNeill and Dan Abnett. Abnett I think writes great action and characterizations, dialog. McNeill can pull off more “thinker” novels and also is strong in characterization etc. Kind of a perfect storm in writing styles really.
My only complaints are as follows:
1. A bit of slowness. Not bad. I just think some folks may notice it. I dig it, but I’m not your typical reader. It’s got a lot of action, don’t get me wrong…it just has some very contemplative bits that not everyone will fully appreciate.
2. It feels like a prelude. Not really a complaint. When I got the book I started reading it with no foreknowledge. Is it a prequel? It may be. I don’t judge books by the series; I judge the book by the book. By the end you feel like “it’s about to go off.” Maybe it’s the finally finding out that it’s a series at the end instead of at the beginning. Anyhow, totally minor quibble that really means nothing.
3. The writer is clever; maybe too clever for me. I think there were parts where something happened that I simply missed it. Like an inside joke where you’re not in the know. Still, it didn’t really detract from the story. I’m just not as versed on the Night Lords. I think that someone who is not versed in 40k lore may miss out on some of the fun.
Rating:
That’s it. Seriously, those are some minor quibbles. For my first Aaron Dembski-Bowden novel, I was pleased with the story, the vibe, and the overall entertainment value. Totally good read.
4 of 5 Stars.
July 5, 2011
This is flat-out my favorite book set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe...and one of my favorite all-time military sci-fi novels!
What makes it work so well is how Aaron Dembski-Bowden turns the stereotypes of the 40k universe on their ear. The protagonists are Traitor Space Marines of the Night Lords Legion...an army of superhuman warriors genetically engineered from the worst dregs of a criminal planet, who later betrayed humanity in a galactic war. "Soul Hunter" is set centuries after that betrayal, and tells the story of one company of the Night Lords as they struggle to survive and bring down the galaxy-spanning human emperor.
However, though they are unquestionably evil, the author makes each of his protagonists a complex, fully-fleshed out character with believeable and even sympathetic (!!!) personalities. Dembski-Bowden is really good at making the Night Lords much more ambiguous and totally different from the stereotypical brutes you'd expect. He also takes a fascinating look at the lives of the prisoners and slaves serving aboard the Night Lords ship. Though slaves, their skills are so desperately needed by their masters--whose infrastructure is slowly rotting away after centuries of war--that the slaves are respected and almost treated as comrades.
It's really fascinating and turns the trope of Chaos Marines as predictable, demon-worshiping, cardboard cutout villains on its ear. The terrific characterization, description combines with a few first-rate battle scenes for a crackerjack novel. I've read it reapeatedly and will probably do so again soon!
The sequel, "Blood Reaver" is very good also.
What makes it work so well is how Aaron Dembski-Bowden turns the stereotypes of the 40k universe on their ear. The protagonists are Traitor Space Marines of the Night Lords Legion...an army of superhuman warriors genetically engineered from the worst dregs of a criminal planet, who later betrayed humanity in a galactic war. "Soul Hunter" is set centuries after that betrayal, and tells the story of one company of the Night Lords as they struggle to survive and bring down the galaxy-spanning human emperor.
However, though they are unquestionably evil, the author makes each of his protagonists a complex, fully-fleshed out character with believeable and even sympathetic (!!!) personalities. Dembski-Bowden is really good at making the Night Lords much more ambiguous and totally different from the stereotypical brutes you'd expect. He also takes a fascinating look at the lives of the prisoners and slaves serving aboard the Night Lords ship. Though slaves, their skills are so desperately needed by their masters--whose infrastructure is slowly rotting away after centuries of war--that the slaves are respected and almost treated as comrades.
It's really fascinating and turns the trope of Chaos Marines as predictable, demon-worshiping, cardboard cutout villains on its ear. The terrific characterization, description combines with a few first-rate battle scenes for a crackerjack novel. I've read it reapeatedly and will probably do so again soon!
The sequel, "Blood Reaver" is very good also.
October 20, 2024
This is near perfection from ADB, if it wasn't for some misogynistic language it would be perfect.
At its best, in my opinion (off the top of my head) Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett, the opening quadrilogy by Abnett, McNeill, Counter, and Swallow, ADB's Word Bearers and World Eaters books, After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer, Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium by L. J Goulding, and Sanguinius: The Great Angel by Chris Wraight, the Horus Heresy is generally the best the Black Library has to offer, regardless of the wildly varying quality and the ignoble way it was left to wither on the vine. In flagrant disregard for this, ADB continually writes some of the best Warhammer, GrimDark, and, frankly, epic sci-fi books on the market.
Soul Hunter is somehow entirely refreshing and different to so many other Warhammer 40,000 books, while being such a glorious encapsulation and honest representation of the Dark Millennia. The bones are classic Renegade and Heretic Space Marines doing their thing to survive, keep the Long War going, and constantly bicker and in fight between Warbands and within their own ranks, but the detail, perspectives, and quality of writing make this a unique and exquisite offering.
The eponymous Soul Hunter, Talos, is a fascinating character who links and grounds the narrative with his history with the Night Haunter and the Horus Heresy, as well as having the unique perspective of being a Night Lord Psyker/ Prophet, a Renegade, not a Heretic, and retaining some compassion and regard for human life. He also shares the limelight with the wider cast, granting greatest insight and details often overlooked. These come in the form of his serfs and slaves, Septimus and Octavia, and the experience of the human crew on Traitor Astartes vessels.
The dynamics of First Claw, with their vastly different perspectives on the warp, and the fractious nature of the Warband of the Exalted that 10th Company has become are fascinating, as is the bizarre character of the Exalted and the nightmare of possession and suppressed host he is. The loyalty and honour (and dishonour) the Night Lords and Black Legion display are incredibly compelling, as is the horror, monstrous, callous violence of the Blood Angels.
Andrew Wincott's narration ia exquisite.
I don't think the Vaults of Terra are bad books, but what they aren't is this. This has everything I felt was lacking in those books.
Throne, I adore this book!
At its best, in my opinion (off the top of my head) Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett, the opening quadrilogy by Abnett, McNeill, Counter, and Swallow, ADB's Word Bearers and World Eaters books, After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer, Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium by L. J Goulding, and Sanguinius: The Great Angel by Chris Wraight, the Horus Heresy is generally the best the Black Library has to offer, regardless of the wildly varying quality and the ignoble way it was left to wither on the vine. In flagrant disregard for this, ADB continually writes some of the best Warhammer, GrimDark, and, frankly, epic sci-fi books on the market.
Soul Hunter is somehow entirely refreshing and different to so many other Warhammer 40,000 books, while being such a glorious encapsulation and honest representation of the Dark Millennia. The bones are classic Renegade and Heretic Space Marines doing their thing to survive, keep the Long War going, and constantly bicker and in fight between Warbands and within their own ranks, but the detail, perspectives, and quality of writing make this a unique and exquisite offering.
The eponymous Soul Hunter, Talos, is a fascinating character who links and grounds the narrative with his history with the Night Haunter and the Horus Heresy, as well as having the unique perspective of being a Night Lord Psyker/ Prophet, a Renegade, not a Heretic, and retaining some compassion and regard for human life. He also shares the limelight with the wider cast, granting greatest insight and details often overlooked. These come in the form of his serfs and slaves, Septimus and Octavia, and the experience of the human crew on Traitor Astartes vessels.
The dynamics of First Claw, with their vastly different perspectives on the warp, and the fractious nature of the Warband of the Exalted that 10th Company has become are fascinating, as is the bizarre character of the Exalted and the nightmare of possession and suppressed host he is. The loyalty and honour (and dishonour) the Night Lords and Black Legion display are incredibly compelling, as is the horror, monstrous, callous violence of the Blood Angels.
Andrew Wincott's narration ia exquisite.
I don't think the Vaults of Terra are bad books, but what they aren't is this. This has everything I felt was lacking in those books.
Throne, I adore this book!
November 12, 2019
I just.... Wow, Im completly sucked into the story at this point and I seriously cant wait to read the rest of these books! this is how you write some seriously amazing bad guys!!
I'm a little late to the Night Lords Party but what an amazing party it is! Ave Dominus Nox!
I'm a little late to the Night Lords Party but what an amazing party it is! Ave Dominus Nox!
April 27, 2018
I think this might be because this book was over hyped, but it was a bit of a disappointment for me. I enjoyed it quite a bit, Xarl and Cyrion are fun characters and there were some moments that made me laugh out loud. Aaron's prose is easy to read and I burned through the book easily. But it felt strange to me, some stuff felt brushed over too easily, especially their fight with the Titan and the sudden heel face turn of a character which seemed to come too fast and out of the blue. The pacing seemed off to me too and the book kinda just ended...It felt incredibly rushed and anti-climatic. It seemed to end just as it was beginning to me, but it is the first of a trilogy so gotta give it leeway in that regard. Not just that but Talos just didn't leap off the page for me, not like Kauyon did in Talon of Horus. In fact in comparing the two books it's really easy to see ADB has improved so much between these books in almost every way (although I didn't like Master of Mankind which kinda contradicts this for me)
The story didn't quite have a too well done plot, it felt like a bunch of set pieces roughly stitched together without enough coherence or...consequences? But...again it is the first in the trilogy.
The story didn't quite have a too well done plot, it felt like a bunch of set pieces roughly stitched together without enough coherence or...consequences? But...again it is the first in the trilogy.
July 14, 2016
A fun dark read. I absolutely loved it! =)
February 12, 2017
Well, after taking way too long to get to these, I’ve finally finished Soul Hunter! The first novel in the Night Lords trilogy, also one of the most highly praised novels to come from Black Library ever, and man was it good!
The whole novel was absolutely fantastic, ADB’s phenomenal world building and characters really shine through in this one with First Claw at the front and center, with loads of wonderfully done side characters and cameos (from Septimus, Talos’ artificer to the big man Warmaster Abaddon himself!), they were all done with an insane amount of skill to make their characters really bleed from each page! The action was extremely well written, and the terror really oozed off of every page when our boys in blue went hunting.
I think one of my favourite parts of the novel was how much it showed away from the glorious front line and the (False) Emperor’s Angels of Death. We really get to have a pretty detailed and lengthy glimpse into the life of a Chaos Warband, and there’s not a lot of glamour! From killing and raiding for survival, to making a tactical withdraw out of the system to ensure you live to fight another day. From the bridge full of enslaved officers to the black market down in the near pitch-black of the depths of the Covenant of Blood, the novel was immensely enlightening, and thoroughly enjoyable.
The whole novel was absolutely fantastic, ADB’s phenomenal world building and characters really shine through in this one with First Claw at the front and center, with loads of wonderfully done side characters and cameos (from Septimus, Talos’ artificer to the big man Warmaster Abaddon himself!), they were all done with an insane amount of skill to make their characters really bleed from each page! The action was extremely well written, and the terror really oozed off of every page when our boys in blue went hunting.
I think one of my favourite parts of the novel was how much it showed away from the glorious front line and the (False) Emperor’s Angels of Death. We really get to have a pretty detailed and lengthy glimpse into the life of a Chaos Warband, and there’s not a lot of glamour! From killing and raiding for survival, to making a tactical withdraw out of the system to ensure you live to fight another day. From the bridge full of enslaved officers to the black market down in the near pitch-black of the depths of the Covenant of Blood, the novel was immensely enlightening, and thoroughly enjoyable.
April 4, 2022
Soul Hunter is one of the better Warhammer 40k books and Aaron Dembski-Bowden is quickly becoming my favourite Warhammer writer.
This book takes a look at the Warhammer world from the eyes of the opposing faction. Night Lords, headed by Talos are a strange bunch that hate each other, while respecting each other as warriors and brothers. The story sets the board for the next two books and it is a breakneck ride through space, time, and what is means to be the bad guy but still hold fast to your principles and beliefs.
Really solid book. Poetic in places and violent, too.
If space battles, intra-group rivalries, and large setpieces, flawed heroes are your thing, pick this one up. Good entry point into the Warhammer world too. If this is going to be your first Warhammer book, you are going to be a fan.
This book takes a look at the Warhammer world from the eyes of the opposing faction. Night Lords, headed by Talos are a strange bunch that hate each other, while respecting each other as warriors and brothers. The story sets the board for the next two books and it is a breakneck ride through space, time, and what is means to be the bad guy but still hold fast to your principles and beliefs.
Really solid book. Poetic in places and violent, too.
If space battles, intra-group rivalries, and large setpieces, flawed heroes are your thing, pick this one up. Good entry point into the Warhammer world too. If this is going to be your first Warhammer book, you are going to be a fan.
October 21, 2024
Ave Dominus Nox
I was told by a lot of people to read the Night Lords Omnibus. I usually don't expect much from 40k Marines be it either imperial or chaos when compared to their 30k counterparts but this series seems to be an exception. Then I remembered Aaron Dembski-Bowden wrote it and it made a lot more sense.
Another thing that works in favour of a legion like the night lords is that you can write some of them to be very self aware of exactly what they are. Like you would have Talos going on and on about the glory of the legion and noble warriors who were wronged by the imperium and then you would have someone like Uzas going "brother we flay people....what the fuck are you talking about?"
If you like 40k you'll probably like the book. If you are new to 40k or looking to get into the lore, don't read it.
I was told by a lot of people to read the Night Lords Omnibus. I usually don't expect much from 40k Marines be it either imperial or chaos when compared to their 30k counterparts but this series seems to be an exception. Then I remembered Aaron Dembski-Bowden wrote it and it made a lot more sense.
Another thing that works in favour of a legion like the night lords is that you can write some of them to be very self aware of exactly what they are. Like you would have Talos going on and on about the glory of the legion and noble warriors who were wronged by the imperium and then you would have someone like Uzas going "brother we flay people....what the fuck are you talking about?"
If you like 40k you'll probably like the book. If you are new to 40k or looking to get into the lore, don't read it.
December 8, 2020
Some of the best writing in 40k. The dreadnought battle was amazing.
March 7, 2024
У своєму класі літератури, де фантастика плюсується із бойовиком, а текст всесвіту ліпиться із усіх можливих і неможливих суміжних ідей у жанрі, ця книга є хорошим прикладом. Якщо у моїй бібліотеці будуть книги із всесвіту Варгамера, то Ловець душ буде там. Разом із трилогією про Айзенгорна. Можливо колись це буде ще Рейвенор.
Добре пасує для голови, яка кипить від академічної літератури.
Добре пасує для голови, яка кипить від академічної літератури.
August 30, 2024
"‘I do not want this. I have served with loyalty and honour… Throw… my ashes into the void. Do… not… entomb me…’
– Final words of the war-sage Malcharion before his entombment
– Final words of the war-sage Malcharion before his entombment
November 11, 2025
AVE DOMINUS NOX!
March 12, 2023
El mejor libro del universo oscuro de Warhammer 40K que he podido leer
December 1, 2023
Phenomenal book about a chaos space legion just trying to get by. Dealing with in fighting and other space Marines legions. Night lords are by far now my favorite chaos space marine legion
March 30, 2012
Of all the Marine books out there, there is very little literature wise in the way of the Night Lords except for short stories and the like. We had Lord of the Night and then along came Soul Hunter.
For any fans of the Night Lords these are a must read, not only does it immerse you into the action early on but you get an affinity with First Claw and their own private thoughts and battles. You get the impression that they might not like each other all that much but when it comes to working together they work pretty well as a team even if one of them is slipping into the madness that is the Blood God.
You also get an insight into life for the humans who live in the vessels underworld and how they live day to day as slaves for their Night Lord masters. I was surprised to see that for humans they are treated quite well by their masters and not, perhaps as one would expect for a traitor Legion to be using them as sacrifice or cannon fodder.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden has taken the Night Lords and brought them into line with the books on the Ultramarines, Blood Angels and others, they may be damned but they have burst into the 40K world and announced their intention....they have come for you! if the rest of the trilogy is as good as this then the Night Lords are here to stay....Dominous Nox
For any fans of the Night Lords these are a must read, not only does it immerse you into the action early on but you get an affinity with First Claw and their own private thoughts and battles. You get the impression that they might not like each other all that much but when it comes to working together they work pretty well as a team even if one of them is slipping into the madness that is the Blood God.
You also get an insight into life for the humans who live in the vessels underworld and how they live day to day as slaves for their Night Lord masters. I was surprised to see that for humans they are treated quite well by their masters and not, perhaps as one would expect for a traitor Legion to be using them as sacrifice or cannon fodder.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden has taken the Night Lords and brought them into line with the books on the Ultramarines, Blood Angels and others, they may be damned but they have burst into the 40K world and announced their intention....they have come for you! if the rest of the trilogy is as good as this then the Night Lords are here to stay....Dominous Nox
October 31, 2021
Una novela que se nota pensada y planeada, con todos los detalles del trasfondo bien aprovechados y un epílogo que te deja con muchas ganas de mas, planteando el escenario de lo que será un enfrentamiento ulterior.
En fin, que se trata de otra propuesta de disfrute gozoso, presta a molar todo lo molable y perfecta para cualquier lector afín.
Para más detalles, la reseña completa aquí ;)
https://meitnerio.blogspot.com/2020/0...
En fin, que se trata de otra propuesta de disfrute gozoso, presta a molar todo lo molable y perfecta para cualquier lector afín.
Para más detalles, la reseña completa aquí ;)
https://meitnerio.blogspot.com/2020/0...
December 11, 2013
What a book.
May 21, 2021
The best 40k book I have ever read. If you're a fan of the universe you should read this book.
September 29, 2024
3.5, I was just confused a lot
February 16, 2012
AJ (Shadowhawk) is our newest book reviewer on staff here, and he starts off on TFF with a wonderful review of Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. I hope you’ll all welcome AJ and make him feel at home. -CP
“One of the most intriguing and unusual novels from Black Library, Soul Hunter will challenge your perceptions about life as a Traitor Astartes.“ ~The Founding Fields
I have read precious little of the published work of Aaron Dembski-Bowden, limited to his Horus Heresy novel The First Heretic and his short stories in the first two Space Marine anthologies and the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness anthology. Up until I picked up Soul Hunter and its sequel Blood Reaver at Games Day UK 2011, I was fairly impressed with his work. There is something about the quality of his work, the style, the characters, the setting, the unexplored concepts that is highly evocative and suitably tight in its execution.
Truth be told, I was never interested in the Night Lords novels until very recently and my friends kept asking me to give them a chance. Of course, after reading his Horus Heresy work, I was really looking forward to seeing how he tackled a proper full-length 40k story. Short stories only get you so far.
So it was with a fair bit of excitement that I picked up this novel and started reading through it. My first reaction after getting through the first few chapters was one of surprise and not a little disappointment.
I think that is a case of buying too much into the hype surrounding the novels. Everybody praises Soul Hunter as one of the best BL novels, the reviews are stellar, the author himself is lauded all across fandom, and even has a cult following that would like nothing less than to have him be the mover and shaker in the Horus Heresy stories yet to be told.
And that really threatened to ruin the book for me and I nearly put it down because of how simple, straightforward and slow it seemed.
But I am glad I stuck through with it. I knew a little about what to expect in terms of the plot since I find spoilers so irresistible.
But you know what? I enjoyed the novel. I certainly have mixed feelings about it but it is one of the books which I will happily read again and again for the sheer entertainment value.
The Night Lords are a legion that has never really had any major screen time until Aaron came around. They featured in Graham’s prequel short story Chains of Command for his Ultramarines novels, and they featured in Lee Lightner’s first Space Wolf novel, Sons of Fenris. In the former, the Night Lords undertake a tank assault while in the latter they use misdirection and traps in a city battle. Two different cameo portrayals and two very unsatisfying outlooks on the legion. If there is more, I have yet to get around to reading any of it.
For me, Soul Hunter challenged my perceptions of the legion. I’d always seen them as vicious, murderous, Raptor-loving Chaos Marines. Those last two words are important: Chaos Marines. The Night Lords are anything but. They are also not Raptor-lovers like most people believe them to be. While the other eight legions gave themselves over to the Chaos Gods, the Eighth Legion remained separate from that inevitable corrupting influence, succeeding for the most part.
They are also not the well-off, living the high life type of Traitor Marines I thought all Chaos warbands are. They are something totally different and Aaron does a great job of portraying that aspect of it. He hammers it at you again and again until you accept it and then a bit more. I don’t say that with any disrespect however and I laud his efforts at making it so crystal clear again and again.
It is needed.
The once proud legion is now split off into warbands, scavenging off their dead enemies, allies and brothers alike. They are losing direction because their Primarch’s guiding influence has been lost to them. Bereft of purpose, they have been reduced to brokering deals with others more powerful than themselves for what amounts to scrap. Some among the splintered legion do not even care about staying true to the Night Haunter’s visions. They are all out for themselves.
All except for the First Claw of Tenth Company: Talos, Cyrion, Xarl, Uzas and Mercutian the newbie. There is a very clear vibe throughout the novel that First Claw is just tired of the state of the legion, and their company in particular. Numbers are at an all-time low, their Captain is a maniac, too much infighting in the company and so on.
Things need to change, sooner the better.
But that is not all the novel is about. We get a very human perspective into the shadows and darkness legion in the form of Talos’ servants, his artificer Septimus and the company’s new navigator Octavia, as well Septimus’ interactions with the other human crew of the company’s strike cruiser Covenant of Blood. So we don’t see the legion just from the Space Marines’ points of view, but from that of the regular humans as well.
It makes for a very nice and unusual narrative that I must say I find unique in the current offerings of Space Marine centric novels for precisely that reason. This approach is very common in the Horus Heresy series as well.
Although unlike the Heresy novels, where I am getting slightly bored by the constant human perspectives in nearly every book, it is refreshing in the mainstream 40k novels. It makes for a very gloomy, dichotomous and engaging reading which on a lot of reflection I find that I actually quite enjoyed. When I first finished reading the novel I didn’t like it, but having thought about it, my feelings were unfounded.
What makes Soul Hunter a great novel is that it challenges you at every turn. It forces you to accept that not all the traitor legions and warbands are coloured with the same heavy brush-stroke of ‘They are evil Chaos-worshippers’. It forces you to accept that sometimes even the elite Space Marines sometimes do not get to fight on their own terms with a proper execution of their trademark doctrines. It forces you to accept that not all Space Marines, whether good or bad (notice I don’t say good or evil), actually act all the time like Space Marines. Cyrion is perhaps the best example of this and he is my favourite character in the entire novel for his witty quips and comments.
In that same vein, Aaron’s dialogue is also very good and as someone who struggles quite a bit with it for my fanfics, it is also educational to a degree. All the characters, whether it is Talos the Prophet, Uzas who is slowly falling to Khorne, Cyrion the smart-ass, Captain Vandred the Possessed or Octavia the newly inducted-against-her-will servant, they all have their unique voices. They act like how they should, and they talk like they should. They are each different from each other, with different mindsets, different ideologies, different perspectives, and Aaron gets it all across very clearly.
The theme of shadows and darkness is also quite prevalent throughout the entire novel, and it makes you feel like you are walking into a house of horrors, except one where your own friends are more dangerous than your surroundings. I felt spooked at times for sure.
The only main criticism that I can really apply to the novel in all honesty is the slow pace of it, even during the action scenes. There is an attitude in the novel that things will play out in their own time and that there is no reason to rush the ending. I am not a fan of that. I can see that it is necessary for the narrative but I still don’t enjoy it. I like my adrenaline-pumping scenes too much, which is why I found the last third of the novel with its boarding actions to be the highlight of the novel. I wish it had been expanded upon a bit more.
C’est la vie.
If you want a change of pace from the other Black Library books, if you want to experiment with your reading, or if you are a fan of the Night Lords, I recommend this book. It is definitely one of the must-reads of Black Library fiction and it showcases more than The First Heretic just why Aaron is as good as he is. Not to mention that the trilogy has just started with this one and these guys are going to back in no time at all when I review Blood Reaver next.
Score-wise, I will have to give the novel a 9.5/10. Originally, after having just finished it, that score would have been quite a bit lower. But like I said, this book forced me to really think about why I didn’t like it and it ended up that I actually did like it. It is a very thoughtful novel, more so than most other Space Marine novels and it works very well in it’s favour. The epilogue is also grand, setting the stage for the eventual showdown.
“One of the most intriguing and unusual novels from Black Library, Soul Hunter will challenge your perceptions about life as a Traitor Astartes.“ ~The Founding Fields
I have read precious little of the published work of Aaron Dembski-Bowden, limited to his Horus Heresy novel The First Heretic and his short stories in the first two Space Marine anthologies and the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness anthology. Up until I picked up Soul Hunter and its sequel Blood Reaver at Games Day UK 2011, I was fairly impressed with his work. There is something about the quality of his work, the style, the characters, the setting, the unexplored concepts that is highly evocative and suitably tight in its execution.
Truth be told, I was never interested in the Night Lords novels until very recently and my friends kept asking me to give them a chance. Of course, after reading his Horus Heresy work, I was really looking forward to seeing how he tackled a proper full-length 40k story. Short stories only get you so far.
So it was with a fair bit of excitement that I picked up this novel and started reading through it. My first reaction after getting through the first few chapters was one of surprise and not a little disappointment.
I think that is a case of buying too much into the hype surrounding the novels. Everybody praises Soul Hunter as one of the best BL novels, the reviews are stellar, the author himself is lauded all across fandom, and even has a cult following that would like nothing less than to have him be the mover and shaker in the Horus Heresy stories yet to be told.
And that really threatened to ruin the book for me and I nearly put it down because of how simple, straightforward and slow it seemed.
But I am glad I stuck through with it. I knew a little about what to expect in terms of the plot since I find spoilers so irresistible.
But you know what? I enjoyed the novel. I certainly have mixed feelings about it but it is one of the books which I will happily read again and again for the sheer entertainment value.
The Night Lords are a legion that has never really had any major screen time until Aaron came around. They featured in Graham’s prequel short story Chains of Command for his Ultramarines novels, and they featured in Lee Lightner’s first Space Wolf novel, Sons of Fenris. In the former, the Night Lords undertake a tank assault while in the latter they use misdirection and traps in a city battle. Two different cameo portrayals and two very unsatisfying outlooks on the legion. If there is more, I have yet to get around to reading any of it.
For me, Soul Hunter challenged my perceptions of the legion. I’d always seen them as vicious, murderous, Raptor-loving Chaos Marines. Those last two words are important: Chaos Marines. The Night Lords are anything but. They are also not Raptor-lovers like most people believe them to be. While the other eight legions gave themselves over to the Chaos Gods, the Eighth Legion remained separate from that inevitable corrupting influence, succeeding for the most part.
They are also not the well-off, living the high life type of Traitor Marines I thought all Chaos warbands are. They are something totally different and Aaron does a great job of portraying that aspect of it. He hammers it at you again and again until you accept it and then a bit more. I don’t say that with any disrespect however and I laud his efforts at making it so crystal clear again and again.
It is needed.
The once proud legion is now split off into warbands, scavenging off their dead enemies, allies and brothers alike. They are losing direction because their Primarch’s guiding influence has been lost to them. Bereft of purpose, they have been reduced to brokering deals with others more powerful than themselves for what amounts to scrap. Some among the splintered legion do not even care about staying true to the Night Haunter’s visions. They are all out for themselves.
All except for the First Claw of Tenth Company: Talos, Cyrion, Xarl, Uzas and Mercutian the newbie. There is a very clear vibe throughout the novel that First Claw is just tired of the state of the legion, and their company in particular. Numbers are at an all-time low, their Captain is a maniac, too much infighting in the company and so on.
Things need to change, sooner the better.
But that is not all the novel is about. We get a very human perspective into the shadows and darkness legion in the form of Talos’ servants, his artificer Septimus and the company’s new navigator Octavia, as well Septimus’ interactions with the other human crew of the company’s strike cruiser Covenant of Blood. So we don’t see the legion just from the Space Marines’ points of view, but from that of the regular humans as well.
It makes for a very nice and unusual narrative that I must say I find unique in the current offerings of Space Marine centric novels for precisely that reason. This approach is very common in the Horus Heresy series as well.
Although unlike the Heresy novels, where I am getting slightly bored by the constant human perspectives in nearly every book, it is refreshing in the mainstream 40k novels. It makes for a very gloomy, dichotomous and engaging reading which on a lot of reflection I find that I actually quite enjoyed. When I first finished reading the novel I didn’t like it, but having thought about it, my feelings were unfounded.
What makes Soul Hunter a great novel is that it challenges you at every turn. It forces you to accept that not all the traitor legions and warbands are coloured with the same heavy brush-stroke of ‘They are evil Chaos-worshippers’. It forces you to accept that sometimes even the elite Space Marines sometimes do not get to fight on their own terms with a proper execution of their trademark doctrines. It forces you to accept that not all Space Marines, whether good or bad (notice I don’t say good or evil), actually act all the time like Space Marines. Cyrion is perhaps the best example of this and he is my favourite character in the entire novel for his witty quips and comments.
In that same vein, Aaron’s dialogue is also very good and as someone who struggles quite a bit with it for my fanfics, it is also educational to a degree. All the characters, whether it is Talos the Prophet, Uzas who is slowly falling to Khorne, Cyrion the smart-ass, Captain Vandred the Possessed or Octavia the newly inducted-against-her-will servant, they all have their unique voices. They act like how they should, and they talk like they should. They are each different from each other, with different mindsets, different ideologies, different perspectives, and Aaron gets it all across very clearly.
The theme of shadows and darkness is also quite prevalent throughout the entire novel, and it makes you feel like you are walking into a house of horrors, except one where your own friends are more dangerous than your surroundings. I felt spooked at times for sure.
The only main criticism that I can really apply to the novel in all honesty is the slow pace of it, even during the action scenes. There is an attitude in the novel that things will play out in their own time and that there is no reason to rush the ending. I am not a fan of that. I can see that it is necessary for the narrative but I still don’t enjoy it. I like my adrenaline-pumping scenes too much, which is why I found the last third of the novel with its boarding actions to be the highlight of the novel. I wish it had been expanded upon a bit more.
C’est la vie.
If you want a change of pace from the other Black Library books, if you want to experiment with your reading, or if you are a fan of the Night Lords, I recommend this book. It is definitely one of the must-reads of Black Library fiction and it showcases more than The First Heretic just why Aaron is as good as he is. Not to mention that the trilogy has just started with this one and these guys are going to back in no time at all when I review Blood Reaver next.
Score-wise, I will have to give the novel a 9.5/10. Originally, after having just finished it, that score would have been quite a bit lower. But like I said, this book forced me to really think about why I didn’t like it and it ended up that I actually did like it. It is a very thoughtful novel, more so than most other Space Marine novels and it works very well in it’s favour. The epilogue is also grand, setting the stage for the eventual showdown.
September 20, 2017
This is my third time reading this book, which is saying something. Dembski-Bowden is one of the most consistently good Warhammer 40k writers, and vary rarely do I come across something of his I don't like or enjoy.
This is mostly due in part to his grasp of engaging characters. Soul Hunter is no exception. He brings the Night Lords to life, breathing a menagerie of complex goals, ideas, wants and dislikes into each character. They become more than simple astares killers or a traitor legion, but rather, the reader gets to understand WHY they do what they do and why Night Haunter chose the path he did.
Aaron also does a fantastic job with side characters as well, which just adds to the entire novel, drawing the reader in. From the Void Born to even the rapists sent to take out the thunderhawk gunship by the Black Legion, each has a certain care given to them that brings them alive on the page, and adds to the sorrow of their loss, or the joy at their death.
My only issue with the novel is how much importance is laid upon the Soul Hunter. We see him being confided in by the primarch, we see how revered he is by his brothers due to his gift, and we see just how special he is. It takes away from him as a character though, as he's not some rank and file warrior, or even a skilled sergeant. No, he's something far, far more important, which almost cheapens him to me. (but, that could just be me. It's almost too Mary Sue for me, and anyone who reads my reviews know I highly dislike characters who are 'blessed') Still, it doesn't play too much of a role within the story, I just found it took away from it.
In the end, I still enjoy this book, even on the third reading. The writing is well done, the way events pan out are handled well, and in the end you get exactly what you want out of the story. Anyone who likes the Night Lords but wanted something more than base killers should read this book. It does a fantastic job of showing chaos space marines as more than simple heretics, but rather people who made a choice. Well worth the read.
This is mostly due in part to his grasp of engaging characters. Soul Hunter is no exception. He brings the Night Lords to life, breathing a menagerie of complex goals, ideas, wants and dislikes into each character. They become more than simple astares killers or a traitor legion, but rather, the reader gets to understand WHY they do what they do and why Night Haunter chose the path he did.
Aaron also does a fantastic job with side characters as well, which just adds to the entire novel, drawing the reader in. From the Void Born to even the rapists sent to take out the thunderhawk gunship by the Black Legion, each has a certain care given to them that brings them alive on the page, and adds to the sorrow of their loss, or the joy at their death.
My only issue with the novel is how much importance is laid upon the Soul Hunter. We see him being confided in by the primarch, we see how revered he is by his brothers due to his gift, and we see just how special he is. It takes away from him as a character though, as he's not some rank and file warrior, or even a skilled sergeant. No, he's something far, far more important, which almost cheapens him to me. (but, that could just be me. It's almost too Mary Sue for me, and anyone who reads my reviews know I highly dislike characters who are 'blessed') Still, it doesn't play too much of a role within the story, I just found it took away from it.
In the end, I still enjoy this book, even on the third reading. The writing is well done, the way events pan out are handled well, and in the end you get exactly what you want out of the story. Anyone who likes the Night Lords but wanted something more than base killers should read this book. It does a fantastic job of showing chaos space marines as more than simple heretics, but rather people who made a choice. Well worth the read.
April 2, 2024
"Ave Dominus Nox."
For years, people have been singing the praises of the Night Lords Legion and hailing Aaron Dembski-Bowden's trilogy focusing on these nihilistic, brutal Chaos Space Marines as a must-read piece of Warhammer 40K fiction to me, so after a new edition of the trilogy was dropped, I decided to overcome my ambivalence to the VIIIth Legion and see what all the fuss was about... The first book in the trilogy makes me wonder why I waited so long (and has got me eager to get back into 40K with a small force of Night Lords...)
Merciless, pragmatic, darkly humorous in their cynicism, Talos and his fellow members of First Claw make for a very different kettle of fish than the previous Chaos Space Marines I've read about in Black Library fiction. They're not rabid fanatics howling the praise of the Dark Gods (with the exception of Uzas, but then he's crazy), they despise their fellow Traitor Legions as much as they do the Imperium that chewed them up and spat them out, and Dembski-Bowden does a great job of showing the difficulties of fighting a war 10,000 years in the making without the advantages of resupply and the personality clashes that arise... The action sequences are as gripping and brutal as only Warhammer 40,000 can deliver (though the Night Lords are pragmatic enough to cut their losses and run if the odds aren't in their favour, and are not above underhanded tactics to win), and the POV segments from the perspective of Septimus and Octavia do a good job of showing Chaos Space Marines from a perspective of those they lord over (yes, they're brutal, savage taskmasters who will kill their human serfs on a whim, but is that really any different from the Imperium throwing thousands in the meatgrinder to claim victory in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium?). Also the scene where Talos forgoes evacuating from a Black Legion trap to rescue Septimius and Octavia from rampaging escaped prisoners bent on rape and murder is darkly heartwarming...
A good first book that made me rethink my thoughts of the Night Lords (both the legion and this book series) in general, and definitely compelling enough to make me read the sequel...
For years, people have been singing the praises of the Night Lords Legion and hailing Aaron Dembski-Bowden's trilogy focusing on these nihilistic, brutal Chaos Space Marines as a must-read piece of Warhammer 40K fiction to me, so after a new edition of the trilogy was dropped, I decided to overcome my ambivalence to the VIIIth Legion and see what all the fuss was about... The first book in the trilogy makes me wonder why I waited so long (and has got me eager to get back into 40K with a small force of Night Lords...)
Merciless, pragmatic, darkly humorous in their cynicism, Talos and his fellow members of First Claw make for a very different kettle of fish than the previous Chaos Space Marines I've read about in Black Library fiction. They're not rabid fanatics howling the praise of the Dark Gods (with the exception of Uzas, but then he's crazy), they despise their fellow Traitor Legions as much as they do the Imperium that chewed them up and spat them out, and Dembski-Bowden does a great job of showing the difficulties of fighting a war 10,000 years in the making without the advantages of resupply and the personality clashes that arise... The action sequences are as gripping and brutal as only Warhammer 40,000 can deliver (though the Night Lords are pragmatic enough to cut their losses and run if the odds aren't in their favour, and are not above underhanded tactics to win), and the POV segments from the perspective of Septimus and Octavia do a good job of showing Chaos Space Marines from a perspective of those they lord over (yes, they're brutal, savage taskmasters who will kill their human serfs on a whim, but is that really any different from the Imperium throwing thousands in the meatgrinder to claim victory in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium?). Also the scene where Talos forgoes evacuating from a Black Legion trap to rescue Septimius and Octavia from rampaging escaped prisoners bent on rape and murder is darkly heartwarming...
A good first book that made me rethink my thoughts of the Night Lords (both the legion and this book series) in general, and definitely compelling enough to make me read the sequel...
December 27, 2024
АДБ, можливо, один з найкращих авторів, що пише для Чорної бібліотеки, утім, його проблема полягає в тому, що він часто вдається до однієї стандартної схеми побудови сюжету, і через те, вже третя-четверта книга від нього стає доволі передбачуваною і відчувається шаблонною, попри зміни "декорацій" (у даному випадку - фракцій WH). У цьом випадку "Ловець душ" збиса перегукується з "Кігтем Гора".
Утім варто розуміти, що основна ціннсть книжок Чорної бібліотеки ніколи не полягала в їхній якості. Перед усім вони слугували глибшому розкриттю лору гри й новелізації визначних подій цього лору. І тут, ніде правди діти, АДБ впорався чудово - внутрішня мотивація, стан і устрій Володарів Ночі, падіння їхнього примарха та загалом стан сил Хаосу в світі WH40K розкриті чудово.
Також, автор майстерно подає патосні монологи (безліч їх) про моральні ділеми морально-неоднозначних героїв, які навмисно написані так, щоб розтягувати їх на патетичні цитати. І це наче класно... чи не дуже? Тут у нас одвічна проблема книг ЧБ: навіть космодесант хаосу, попри згубний вплив Руйнівних сил, все одно демонструє мілітарне братерство й глоріфікацію тоталітарного, воєнизованого суспільства. Як би не гризлися між собою Володарі поміж боями, коли стає час зіткнутися з ворогом, вони діють злагоджено, мудро й винахідливо, а міцність їхнього братерства витримує усі перевірки. WH40K давно став запобіжним клапаном правих ідей в західному суспільстві, перетворюючи їх на комічну гротескну гру, на позір несерйозну і несправжню, і одночасно подану максимально серйозно. Такий собі ізольований всесвіт шовіністичної метаіронії. WH40K одночасно культивує праві погляди і дискредитує їх. Подає в легкій формі, яку сприйме навіть школяр, і гіпертрофує їх загальним гротеском створеного всесвіту. І кожен побачить тут те, що захоче.
Навіть романтичну лінію, натяк на ку АДБ стабільно вписує в кожну свою книгу.
Утім варто розуміти, що основна ціннсть книжок Чорної бібліотеки ніколи не полягала в їхній якості. Перед усім вони слугували глибшому розкриттю лору гри й новелізації визначних подій цього лору. І тут, ніде правди діти, АДБ впорався чудово - внутрішня мотивація, стан і устрій Володарів Ночі, падіння їхнього примарха та загалом стан сил Хаосу в світі WH40K розкриті чудово.
Також, автор майстерно подає патосні монологи (безліч їх) про моральні ділеми морально-неоднозначних героїв, які навмисно написані так, щоб розтягувати їх на патетичні цитати. І це наче класно... чи не дуже? Тут у нас одвічна проблема книг ЧБ: навіть космодесант хаосу, попри згубний вплив Руйнівних сил, все одно демонструє мілітарне братерство й глоріфікацію тоталітарного, воєнизованого суспільства. Як би не гризлися між собою Володарі поміж боями, коли стає час зіткнутися з ворогом, вони діють злагоджено, мудро й винахідливо, а міцність їхнього братерства витримує усі перевірки. WH40K давно став запобіжним клапаном правих ідей в західному суспільстві, перетворюючи їх на комічну гротескну гру, на позір несерйозну і несправжню, і одночасно подану максимально серйозно. Такий собі ізольований всесвіт шовіністичної метаіронії. WH40K одночасно культивує праві погляди і дискредитує їх. Подає в легкій формі, яку сприйме навіть школяр, і гіпертрофує їх загальним гротеском створеного всесвіту. І кожен побачить тут те, що захоче.
Навіть романтичну лінію, натяк на ку АДБ стабільно вписує в кожну свою книгу.
April 24, 2021
Mein erster Warhammer-Hörbuch! Die ungekürzte Fassung beträgt 14h 33 Minuten und ich dachte, dass ich sehr lange an diesem Buch zu hören habe werde. Schlussendlich hatte ich es innerhalb einer Woche durch. Für mich Rekordzeit.
Woran das liegt? An der perfekten Kombination. Wenn ein gutes Buch auf einen guten Sprecher trifft, verdoppelt sich das Vergnügen einfach. Und deshalb wollte ich gar nicht mehr damit aufhören, dieses Hörbuch zu hören.
Dembski-Bowden hat eine packende Warhammer-Geschichte geschrieben, die sich sehr auf die Figuren konzentriert. Natürlich kommt aber auch das Kämpfen und Schlachten nicht zu kurz. Immerhin geht es um Warhammer.
Felix Würgler schafft es, die Geschichte richtig zum Leben zu erwecken. Jede Figur hat ihre eigene Stimme und Würgler schafft es auch, ihre Gedanken, Gefühle und Emotionen passend darzustellen. Ein packendes und eindringliches Erlebnis.
Auf diese geniale Kombination war ich nicht gefasst und deshalb von Anfang bis Ende oftmals einfach verblüfft. Verblüfft, weil ich mitten im Geschehen war. Verblüfft, weil ich sogar in todmüdem Zustand weitergehört habe. Verblüfft, weil ich fast schon süchtig war.
Und ja, ich hatte danach ein Hörbuch-Hangover...
Woran das liegt? An der perfekten Kombination. Wenn ein gutes Buch auf einen guten Sprecher trifft, verdoppelt sich das Vergnügen einfach. Und deshalb wollte ich gar nicht mehr damit aufhören, dieses Hörbuch zu hören.
Dembski-Bowden hat eine packende Warhammer-Geschichte geschrieben, die sich sehr auf die Figuren konzentriert. Natürlich kommt aber auch das Kämpfen und Schlachten nicht zu kurz. Immerhin geht es um Warhammer.
Felix Würgler schafft es, die Geschichte richtig zum Leben zu erwecken. Jede Figur hat ihre eigene Stimme und Würgler schafft es auch, ihre Gedanken, Gefühle und Emotionen passend darzustellen. Ein packendes und eindringliches Erlebnis.
Auf diese geniale Kombination war ich nicht gefasst und deshalb von Anfang bis Ende oftmals einfach verblüfft. Verblüfft, weil ich mitten im Geschehen war. Verblüfft, weil ich sogar in todmüdem Zustand weitergehört habe. Verblüfft, weil ich fast schon süchtig war.
Und ja, ich hatte danach ein Hörbuch-Hangover...
January 2, 2026
Soul Hunter has me instantly hooked. Following the First Claw of the Night Lords' 10th Company, our protagonist Talos struggles against his captain Vandred -now the daemon corrupted warlord The Exalted -for the future of their warband.
This book was insanely compelling. Each and every character and sequence left me hanging on every word, with no dips in the quality of the writing between the obligatory Bolter Porn, harrowing character moments, and even a developing romantic sideplot.
Our protagonists are expertly written to highlight the tragedy, triumph and depravity of the 8th Legion. Dembski-Bowden somehow keeps us utterly disgusted by and invariably rooting for First Claw, with Talos and Cyrion in particular standing out. Chronology and PoV are played with a lot, with frequent use of Talos' enemies perspectives to remind us that the Night Lords are the most horrifically sadistic of the traitor legions.
This is some peak Warhammer 40k. Anyone who digs Chaos and/or the spooky vibes of the Night Lords should totally check this out.
This book was insanely compelling. Each and every character and sequence left me hanging on every word, with no dips in the quality of the writing between the obligatory Bolter Porn, harrowing character moments, and even a developing romantic sideplot.
Our protagonists are expertly written to highlight the tragedy, triumph and depravity of the 8th Legion. Dembski-Bowden somehow keeps us utterly disgusted by and invariably rooting for First Claw, with Talos and Cyrion in particular standing out. Chronology and PoV are played with a lot, with frequent use of Talos' enemies perspectives to remind us that the Night Lords are the most horrifically sadistic of the traitor legions.
This is some peak Warhammer 40k. Anyone who digs Chaos and/or the spooky vibes of the Night Lords should totally check this out.
September 5, 2025
Talos, a traitor space marine, gifted with the ability to see into the future, much like his gene-father, travels the galaxies in eternal enmity for the Imperium of makind. Accompanying him are his battle-brothers within the legion and his serfs, whose lives hang from thin threads that can be cut by the Night Lord Apothecary.
The author paints a very vivid picture of what it is to live within the bowels of the Night Lords' legion's space craft, seen from the human perspective and the space marines one. The colourful descriptions were like wearing the skin of either predator or prey which is very fitting for a book centred on the Night Lords who use fear as a means for order and justice.
The book felt incomplete mostly with the ending. Like the end was cut short which makes me think that this story was always envisioned to be more than just the single novel.
The author paints a very vivid picture of what it is to live within the bowels of the Night Lords' legion's space craft, seen from the human perspective and the space marines one. The colourful descriptions were like wearing the skin of either predator or prey which is very fitting for a book centred on the Night Lords who use fear as a means for order and justice.
The book felt incomplete mostly with the ending. Like the end was cut short which makes me think that this story was always envisioned to be more than just the single novel.
February 10, 2025
I'd only heard amazing things about this story and while a good start, i was waiting for it to click. The second we see Konrad in all his past arrogance it all slots into place. Talos and the 10th are absolutely fantastic, the past and future of the night lords are first introduced to me here and genuinely have no complaints. Some of the best action in 40k with a perfect final chapter
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